India v England: Sub-plots

The likes of Anderson and Broad would get the ball to swing and seam at over 140 kms/hr. They have troubled the best in the world and would make life difficult for the Indian openers. Sehwag would do well to hold up against the in-swinging delivery while Gambhir will try and play the ball as close to his body as he has often been dismissed poking outside the off-stump - either caught behind or playing on. Anderson would be the trump-card as he also gets the old ball to reverse and could prove menacing in Indian conditions.

Time is running out for the Indian openers. With Rahane and Vijay also picked in the 15 man squad for the first 2 Tests, the Delhi duo would know that this could be the last chance they get to prove their mettle. Gautam got off to good starts in the Ranji opener against Odisha. The southpaw recently made a statement that he believed he and Viru were still the best the nation.

Sehwag hit a fighting century in the 2nd innings in the same match to get some runs under his belt - a performance he hopes to repeat in the England series.

The Old Sachin and the New Wall

Sachin showed glimpses of his old genius in his masterclass ton against the Railways. It would be intriguing to see whether he adopts the same aggressive approach against one of the best bowling attacks in world cricket. Cheteshwar Pujara would try and step into the shoes of The Wall - a herculean task but the gutsy right-hander has so far shown good temperament and solid technique.

The dynamic and flamboyant duo

The partnership which could decide the series and has the potential to change the fortunes in India's favour, however, would be between the No. 5 and No.6 . Virat Kohli is widely recognized as one of the best batsmen in present-day international cricket and together with Yuvraj, who desperately wants to leave a mark in Tests as he has in the shorter versions, could form a formidable pair and have the potential to annihilate the best bowling attacks with their aggressive, breathtaking and counter-attacking strokeplay and present a very exciting prospect for India - one which can turn any match on its head in the days to come.

The Indian spinners and the English batsmen

It would be a battle, essentially between the English batsmen and the Indian spinners. If the Indians could muster big 1st innings totals, then Ashwin and Ojha will prove to be more than a handful for the not so spin-equipped English side. The English on the other hand may decide to counter-attack the Indian spin duo and unsettle them early in their spell.

KP and the left-arm spinner nemesis

With Yuvraj making a comeback and certain to play, he would be used as the 3rd spinner, especially after his impressive show with the ball against England in the tour game. It would be particularly interesting to see how Kevin Pietersen handles him. Yuvraj got the better of him in the tour match and left-arm spinners have proved to be the flamboyant's Englishman's nemesis in the recent past.

The Umesh factor

While Zaheer will still lead the pace attack, there are injury concerns and the Indian camp is worried that he may not last the entire duration of the series. This may be a blessing in disguise for Indian cricket as they have been dependant on Zak for too long now and the time has come for young shoulders to take the responsibility. Umesh Yadav looked in great form at the beginning of the domestic season and has bowled with pace, heart and spirit and the moment has come for him to lead the attack. In Ishant Sharma, who looks as fit as he ever has, he has a talented and another genuinely quick fast bowler and together they could trouble the best of the batting line-ups.

Depending on the wicket, Dhoni may decide to open with Zaheer and Umesh or maybe even Zaheer and Ashwin.

The English anchors and stroke-makers

England could spring in a surprise and open with Ian Bell. He would look to be the aggressor while Cook plays the sheet-anchor. If Bell continues to bat in the middle order, it would be interesting to see whether he makes way for KP at No.4 and assumes a more supportive role.

While Pietersen will take the attack to the bowlers and provide the impetus to the innings and take all the limelight and is expected to get stuck into the Indian attack, the man who could prove to be the biggest menace for India is the unassuming Jonathan Trott - solid as a rock at No.3. Jonny Bairstow cracked a ton against Mumbai A and with Samit Patel also in excellent batting form, the English selectors would have the problem of plenty. Compton may have to wait a little longer to prove his worth and show he has the same blood as his grandfather and Root may also have to sit out.

The MP-SP factor

A real danger for India would be posed by Matt Prior who is perhaps the most underrated batsman in the England line up. With an average above 42 with 6 tons at a good strike rate, his cameos at No.6 and his partnership with Samit Patel could prove crucial for England in the days to come.

Swann - the wicket-taker or the container?

It would also be interesting to see Cook's tactics and how he uses Swann - as a defensive bowler to contain or as a wicket-taker. The Indians may well decide to attack the ace-spinner and demoralize his spirits early in the series. Swann's pre-series comments have been rather cautionary and have suggested that he does not want to burden himself with the responsibility of being the chief destroyer of the Indian batsmen.

Captain Cook or Captain Cool

When the chips are down, when the going gets tough and when the heads are down - that is the time of the true test of a leader. There would be many such instances in the coming series when players would look upto their respective skippers for guidance, motivation and direction and the captain who maintains his calm and composure and leads by example would ultimately be holding the coveted trophy. The captains would be scrutinized on every move they make - innovative strategies and game-plans, proactive bowling changes and field-placements and astute tactics - like a game of chess on a cricket field.

Suresh Raina has expressed his desire to bat higher up in the Indian line-up in order to have the opportunity to face more overs which would enable him to showcase his full batting prowess and potential.

India would want to end the series on a high as they take on England in the fifth and final ODI in the scenic locations of Dharamsala, which is all set to host its first ever international match. With the series having already been sealed by the hosts, a few changes are expected in both the sides for this dead rubber.

The Indians first restricted the visitors to 257 for seven and then overcame some anxious moments before overhauling the target with 15 balls to spare in a floodlit contest played in cold conditions at the PCA stadium.

I guess we are just going into the game trying to execute our skills as best as we can and if we do that and perform like we did in the first game, there is every chance we can turn them over: Tredwell.